I picked up one (Delux Model) several years ago, maybe around 2006? Anyway, I haven't put just a ton of shells through it, but it's been a darn good little shotgun. Mine has the screw in chokes that seem to be very similar to Win-Chokes. It has the double triggers which I like. For a short barreled little dumplin, it points good and both barrels seem to be well aligned. I haven't done whatever shotgunners call a group test, but whatever it is- it's good enough for me.

Just before I picked up my Stoeger, a friend picked up a Baikal (sp?) Coachgun (Russian made). I don't know how the Russians drill and tap holes, but we had to re-do a couple of his and go with oversized screws for the hinge pin retaining screws. There's way more quality in the Stoegers.

Made in Brazil and imported by Stoeger. Come with 2.75/3" chambers at 6.5 lbs.(Friggin' thing would hurt using 3"), fixed IC/M chokes(flush or extended tubes are an option), 20" barrel(perfect for upland birds and rabbits) and double or single triggers. Very popular with the CAS guys. Isn't stupid expensive either.
"...just for the fun of shooting it..." Pretty much what the CAS guys think.

I picked up a used one at a LGS about 3 years ago. The owner said it wasn't the Deluxe model but it had the rubber butt pad, and removable chokes. It looked almost new. Mine does not have double hammers but has one trigger that fires first one barrel and then a second trigger pull fires the other barrel. It works well but the recoil is stout. I like the size and the heft of it. It feels sturdy and the workmanship is OK. I got it for a steal and am very happy with it.

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I frequently shoot skeet with a guy who loves to shoot his 12 gauge Stoeger coach gun and he is good with it. He uses 3/4 ounce loads and every now and then intentionally lets fly both barrels. It is a nickel plated double trigger model. He had to smooth off a lot of rough spots with a file, but he really likes it.

My regular shooting buddy ordered his own coach gun, after trying that Stoeger. He isn't getting a Stoeger and is paying more, but he has the scratch for what he wants. It is due to arrive soon.

I'll totally disagree with this statement. 20" is much too short; makes the barrels too whippy. If you want to shoot stationary vacuum cleaners, that is one thing; moving the gun shooting moving targets, longer barrels lend themselves to much better swing dynamics

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I bought a used Baikal from a pal for a song. It shoots.......but only the left barrel goes to point of aim, the right one is high right, at 25 yds, off enough to only fringe plate size targets at that distance. The gun has choke tubes, and I put the IC tube in the wayward barrel and hope for the best. At house distances, it won't matter much, but afield, I could not live with it. The Baikal also kicks like a mule with any serious ammo (buck shot or field loads) and the trigger guard busts my bird finger knuckle so much so that I had to wrap the guard with a piece of leather lace, which looks kinda neat actually, and helps a good bit. At the muzzles(s), a triangular piece about the size of a pea fell out from under the rib, and the resulting gap is unsightly to say the least.

I should sell or trade the thing for a short Maverick 88, but I like certain aspects of this SxS. Being a double, though it has 20" tubes, it is actually a bit shorter than a stocked 20" pump and also I like the way it breaks down into two short pieces. Bamawife made a "discreet" takedown case for it from some dowdy material (the case looks like grandma's book bag) and it stows easily too. Reassembled, it lends considerable piece of mind when traveling in motel rooms or even in the vehicle. Those same 20" barrels and that short receiver do not lend themselves to good shooting for me however. If I do not push myself to look DOWN the rib, I tend to look over it, and invariably shoot high as a result. I don't believe I could ever use it as a field gun on flushing small game.

We see them used often in cowboy action. The Baikal has not been imported for several years now leaving the Stoeger as sort of the default hammerless double.

We are tough on gear. We slick up the guns to make them open more smoothly, then we slam them open and closed and toss them onto tables and props. After a few years of this abuse the Stoeger might break. We throw it away and buy another.

Short barreled shotguns and bird hunting are mutually exclusive. The shortest field guns I see are about 26" two inches more and you have the most common length.
Back in the day it was 30". The clay target sports have evolved over the years. Longer barrels are the norm now for skeet.
It's to the point that great shotguns with multiple barrel sets, or tube sets for skeet are hard to sell if the barrel length is 26" or less.

Short barreled shotguns are for short distance defense only. Can you hunt with one, yes. Should you hunt with one? Not in my opinion. They are darned hard to hit a bird with.
Muzzle discipline is another aspect of short barreled shotguns. Some clubs ban short barrels from trap and skeet fields. I am in agreement with that.

I’ve seen posted rules at clayshooting clubs that prohibit the use of “tactical” or “riot gun” shotguns. My home club does not but if you show up on the trap or skeet field with an 18-20” shotgun you will get sideways glances. The usual explanation is that the short barrels are too loud. In my view, I’m wearing hearing protection. If you want to get in some trigger time with a defensive shotgun, have at it.

I cannot agree that a shorter shotgun means a lack of muzzle control. Most of our competitors in cowboy action and Wild Bunch use shotguns with tubes shorter than “hunting guns”. We require muzzle control at all times. We don’t see a problem with the shotgun.

I have a Stoeger Coachgun 12ga. I like it.
For me the right barrel shoots to point of aim the left shoots a little to the left. I think it may be me more then the gun. It is well build and fun to shoot. Just make sure your buddy doesn't put 3" magnums in the gun and not tell you. He giggled and I glared , shot the other barrel just one principle,

Among experienced folks short barrels are not an issue.
The guy that takes his 18" SBS to the trap or skeet fields may be inexperienced. Wrong tool for the task.
The longer barrel is just physically easier to control it's direction.

I bought a used brushed nickel model years ago and it was a fun gun and very sexy looking, no screw in chokes and a hard but plate. It was heavy and would rock you when firing both barrels but was a quality piece, kind of miss it from time to time but for the weight VS rounds I went ahead and sold it for a quality pump for home defense. Glad you are having as much fun with yours as I did with mine. How about a picture of yours?

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